Pin wheel feeding unit



Dec. 22, 1953 w, METZNER 2,663,197

PIN WHEEL FEEDING UNIT Filed Jan. 12, 1950 s A i1, 1

INVENTOR ALBERT W ME 77/1/67? Patented Dec. 22, 1953 PIN? WHEEL FEEDING' UNIT Albert Metzner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to. The StandardRegi'ster Company, Dayton, Ohio, a.

corporation of Ohio- Applicatilon J anuary; 12, 1950;.Serial1Nb. 138,233:

16? Claims.

invention relates to pin type. strip. feeding, devices,v and. more particularly to a. retractible pin type strip feeding device in which the individual, feeding pinsare simultaneously withdrawn or." retracted within the periphery of the feeding device.

Positivepin type stripf-eedingdevices. embodying a plurality of. pin wheels are now commonly used and generally well. known. There are two common types of pin wheel employed, one having reciprocating. pins and. the other. having fixed pins. In the first type, the pins are progressively projected from within. the-periphery of the wheel as it passes during its rotation av specified point. In the second type, the pins. arefixed relative. to. the wheel, being; in effect. a. solid integral part thereof and projecting, from the periphery of the wheel throughout its. entire: periphery.

The present invention; is related in. a. general way to this second type of pin wheel, but provides a resilient mounting for: the individual pins, movement of which mounting. simultaneously retracts. all. of the: pins within the periphery of the pin. wheel, or simultaneously projects.- all ofthe: pins. therefrom. During. certain: periods of use of such positive pin type strip feeding devices it is desirable to. retract. all of. the pins within the periphery of thefeeding device where. they will be concealed and out of. the; way. Here. tofore, all applications requirinaperiodic move.- ment of the feeding pins to inoperative:- position necessitated thereciproca-ting type of pin wheel.

The present; invention provides a positive. pin type feeding. device incorporating not only all-f the advantages of. a fixed: pin. type of feeding de. vice, but all the further advantage." of a. construction permitting the complete retraction of all the pins within the surface of the feeding. device when. such withdrawal or retraction isv desired in connection with: the particular; use. to: which the. strip. feeding device is put;

The object of the present; invention. isto simplify the construction: as; well as: the means and modev of operation ofa pin. type. feeding device as disclosed herein, whereby such devices may not only be economically manufactured but will be more. efficient and satisfactory inuse, adaptable to a wide variety of. applications, having relatively few parts and be unlikely to getout of repair.

A further object of the. invention is to; provide a pin type feeding device inwhich the pins; are. both. movable and resiliently mounted. so that they may be either extended or retracted relative to. thesurface. ofv the feeding device A further object of the invention, is toprovide. in.- a pin type feeding deviceof the character described, a simple andefficient means of simulta: neously adjusting all of the individual pins from operative to inoperative position and viceversa.

A further object of the invention. is. to provide an individual resilient oscillatory mounting for the individual pins.

A further object of the inventionis to provide. an oscillatory control member for theindividual resilient mountings for simultaneously adjusting the individual pins relative to the. periphery of the strip feeding device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pin type. feeding device possessing the advan tageousstructuralfeatures, the inherent meri toriou-s characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects inview as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of they features of construction, theparts and combinations there of. and the mode of operation, as hereinafter described or-illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

- Referringrto the accompanying drawing, where! in is; found the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only. form of embodiment of the inven. tion,

Fig. 1 is a front view of an assembly pin: type strip; feeding device embodying. the present invention;

Fig; 2 is aside View thereof, lookingtoward the right: of Ei 1;;

Fi 3. is a side v-iewthereof, loo n toward the leftof Fig. 1

Fig. 4; is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFig. 3;

iig; 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with portions broken? away, showing the pins: inoperative DQSitiOI Fig. 6 is, similar to Fig. 5, showing the pins in inoperative, position;

Fig. 7 is a. detail view showing the inside of, the adjusting knob; and

Fig. 8 is: a. detail perspective view of the resilient pin supporting wire.

Like parts. are. indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

lfteferring to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1. an assembled strip. feeding device embodying thepresent invention. In this form, thefeed s... dev c mpr s ng a pin carry body I. is secured to a rotary; supporting shaft. 2 for unison.

feeding device.

rotation therewith by a key 3 having a press fit within the body and engageable within an aligned complementary keyway within the periphcry of the shaft The body i is mounted for longitudinal sliding motion upon the shaft 2, it being retained in adjusted position thereon by means of a latch d, pivotally mounted to the body at 5 for removable engagement within a selected notch 5 on the side of the supporting shaft 2.

A series of individual feeding pins 1 are slidingly carried within individual grooves 8 arranged in radially spaced relation about the main body i. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the pins 1 are mounted for radial reciprocatory movement into and out of the supporting body I. When extended from the periphery of the body I, the pins l engage spaced perforations in a record strip a to advance the strip in unison with the rotation of the strip When the pins are withdrawn as in Fig. 6, the strip may be advanced by other feeding means.

The pins '5 are retracted and expelled relative to the body l by rotary adjustment of a control knob H3 supported by the body I intermediate a centrally extending hub portion 5! of the body and a peripheral flange i2 thereof. The knob H3 is maintained in position relative to the body I by means of a nut i3, recessed within the knob and having threaded engagement with the end of hub portion ii.

concentrically arranged upon the inner surface of the knob to is a series of holes i l (Fig. 7) through which extend ends iii of flexible resilient mounting wires 16. The opposite ends H of the wires it are seated within the ends of the individual pins l in axial alignment therewith. The mounting Wires are free to oscillate within the holes M upon rotation of the control knob id.

Referring to Fig. 5, counterclockwise rotation of knob is from the position shown therein to the position shown in Fig. 6 retracts the resilient wires it and with them the individual feeding pins 1, the wires it being in effect wound about the hub H in a tight spiral. Such movement of the support wires is permitted by freely mounting the wires i *5 in the retaining holes i l for limited oscillatory motion. Upon rotation of the control knob I ii in a clockwise direction, the resilient wires are immediately expanded, thereby pushing the pins f outwardly or upwardly relative to the periphery of the body I.

To locate the control knob It in either of its adjusted positions, there is provided in the extending flange it a pair of indexing holes 18 and is, representing respectively operative (extended) position and inoperative (retracted) position of the pins 1. Cooperating with the indexing holes i8 and i c is a spring biased plunger 28 carried by control knob is so as to normally project from the periphery thereof. Movement of the plunger 2b is controlled by a projecting finger operated stud 2| extending through an elongated guide slot 22 adjacent the periphery of the control knob Iii. Upon depression of the stud 2!, the plunger 25 is Withdrawn from either indexing hole It or iii, whereupon control knob I0 is free for rotative movement relative to the body I to either extend or retract the feeding pins l.

Control knob so is removable from the unit for servicing and the like by removal of the nut IS. A pair of recesses 23 are provided in the outer surface of the nut for engagement of a spanner wrench therewith to facilitate such removal. Upon withdrawal of control knob H3, however, the inherent resiliency of the pin supporting wires it results in immediate disarrangement thereof upon being freed of the restraint imposed by the knob to and its retaining holes it. To prevent such disarrangement and facilitate the reassembly of the unit, an auxiliary anchoring ring 24 is passed over the ends id of the support wires l6, thereby maintaining the wires in proper spaced relation for engagement by the knob it. Such auxiliary anchor ring is supported by the Wires and is positioned immediately adjacent the inner face of control knob it in contacting relation therewith when the unit is assembled. See Fi 4.

The present structure presents a relatively simple, but nonetheless efficient and satisfactory means of resiliently and individually mounting a series of feeding pinsfor simultaneous movement either into or out of the periphery of a pin supporting body. For other means of achieving a substantially similar result by use of another structure, reference is made to copending application Serial No. 138,226, filed of even date herewith.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into efiect.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A pin type strip feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip of material having feeding configurations therein past a given point, including a rotary shaft, a circular body mounted thereon for unison rotation therewith, means for adjusting the body longitudinally of the shaft and maintaining it in adjusted position, a, plurality of radiall spaced recesses arranged about the periphery of the body and extending inwardly therefrom, a plurality of individual reciprocatory feeding pins movably sup ported in said recesses, a rotary hub supported within said body for limited rotary motion relative thereto, locking means carried thereby and engageable with the body to define the opposite limits of rotation relative to the body, a plurality of individual resilient supporting members interconnecting the rotary hub and the individual feeding pins upon which members the pin are resiliently supported relative to the body, and means for reciprocating said pins relative to the body comprising a rotatable connection between the hub and each of the individual supporting members, the construction and arrangement being such that upon rotation of the hub in one direction th resilient supporting members are simultaneously retracted relative to the hub to thereby simultaneously retract the feeding pins within the periphery of the body and upon rotation of the hub in the opposite direction the resilient supporting members are simultaneously extended relative to the hub to thereby project the feeding pins relative to the body.

2. A pin type strip feeding device for pll0gre accuser sively advancing a punched continuous strip: of

material past a given point, including a rotary body, a rotary supporting shaft therefor, a plurality of strip engaging pins carried by said body in circurnierentially spaced relation and movably mounted therein for reciprocatory motion into and out of said body, individual resilient suptially spaced intervals, and means for moving said. pins radially of the body, including a move able; hub mounted for limited oscillatory motion relative to said body, a plurality of resilientv pin supporting members interconnecting the individual feeding pins with said hub, said supporting members being pivotally interconnected with said hub, the construction and arrangement being such that upon oscillation of said hub in opposite directions. relative to said body the plurality of strip engaging pins are simultaneously withdrawn and projected relative tothe periphery of the body.

4. A pin type strip feeding device for prov gressively advancing a punched continuous strip of material past a given point, including a rotary body, a plurality of individual strip enga ing pins movably mounted therein at circumferentially spaced intervals, a rotary hub mounted in concentric relation with said body for unison rotation therewith, means for rotating said hub relative to said body a predetermined distance, individual members interconnecting said hub and said pins upon which said pins are supported, said members being positioned in substantially tangential relation to said hub at one limit of adjustment to project said pins outwardly relative to said body and positioned in substantially concentric relation to said hub at the opposite limit of adjustment to retract said pins inwardly relative to said body.-

5. A pin type strip feeding device for progressively advancing a punched continuous strip of material past a given point, including a rotary body, a plurality of individual strip engaging pins movably mounted therein at circumferentially spaced intervals, individual resilient supporting members enclosed within said body upon which each of said pins is individually supported, and means for simultaneously angularly displacing said members a predetermined extent relative to said body, the pins supported thereby being withdrawn within said body at one limit of displacement, and projected outwardly from said body at the opposite limit of displacement.

6. A pin type strip feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip of punched material past a predetermined point, including a body, a plurality of individual strip feeding pins mounted therein for reciprocatory motion relative thereto, an oscillatory control member common to said plurality of individual pins for simultaneously retracting all of said pins within said body or projecting said pins exteriorly of said body, a resilient individual and independent connection between said control member and each of said pins, and means" for oscillating said control member to alternate predetermined positions of adjustment relative to said body corresponding to the retracted and projected pin positions,

7'. A pin type. strip feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip 0; material past a predetermined point, including a plurality of strip. feeding pins, a common mounting therefor relative to which the pins are capable of reciprocatory motion, a control member common to said plurality of pins and movable relative to the mounting movement. of said control memher in one direction simultaneously withdrawing all of said pins within saidbody and movement of said control member in the opposite direction simultaneously projecting all of said pins outwardly relative to the surface of said body, and

a resilient individual and independent connection between said control member and each of said pins effecting the described withdrawing and projecting movements of said pins in response tomovements of said control member.

8. A pin type strip feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip of record material past a predetermined point, including a plurality of reciprocatory feeding pins, a mounting body common thereto in which said pins are mounted for reciprocatory motion relative to the surface thereof, a control member supported within said body for limited motion relative thereto, and a plurality of movable resilient mounting members, one for each feeding pin, upon one end of which the feeding pin is supported, the other end of which is movably supported within the control member, the constructionand arrangement being such that the mounting members are simultaneously moved by the control member to thereby reciprocate said pins relative to the mounting body.

9 A pi-n type strip feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip of record ma terial past a predetermined point, inciuding a plurality of movably mounted feeding pins, a common mounting therefor relative to which the pins are movable, a control member carried by said mounting and capable of limited movement relative thereto, and movable resilient pin supporting means carried by said control member for simultaneous movement therewith to move said pins relative to said mounting.

10. A pin type strip feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip or" record material past a predetermined'point, including a plurality of movably mounted feeding pins, a common mounting therefor relative to which the pins are movable, a control member carried by said mounting and capable of limited movement relative thereto, a plurality of movable resilient pin supporting members each supporting an individual pin, and means for interconnecting said movable pin supporting members with said control member for synchronous movement therewith to thereby move said pins relative to said mounting.

11. A pin type strip feeding device wherein a series of feeding pins are adjustably mounted for simultaneous movement into and out of feeding position, including a pin supporting body, a plurality of pins adjustably supported therein, a plurality of duofunctional resilient pin supporting and pin adjusting members, and an actuator therefor common to and connected to all of said duofunctional members, movement of said actuator causing simultaneous movement of said feeding pins into and out of feeding position.

12. A pin type feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip of material past a given point, including a plurality of simultaneously movable pins, a mounting body within which the pins are supported for simultaneous movement relative thereto, individual resilient supporting members for each pin mounted within said body, and an actuator therefor common to and connected to all of the supporting members, operation of which simultaneously projects or retracts said pins relative to the mounting body.

13. A pin type feeding device for progressively advancing a continuous strip of material past a given point, including a plurality of adjustable feeding pins, a supporting member upon which said pins are adjustably supported, and means for simultaneously adjusting said pins from operative to inoperative position and vice versa, including an actuator common to said pins and adjustably carried by the supporting member for .limited adjustment relative thereto and an independent resilient member extending between said actuator and each of said pins, each of said members "eing connected at its one end to said actuator and at its opposite end to a respective one of said pins.

14. A pin type feeding device, including a wheel having a peripheral series of relatively closely spaced apart radial openings, feeding pins slid feeding pins, and means for securing said control knob to said wheel in alternative positions of relative rotary-adjustment in one of which said feeding pins are extended relatively to the periphery of the wheel and in the other of which said pins are retracted.

15. A pin type feeding device, including a wheel having a peripheral laterally projecting flange and a series of relatively closely spaced apart through radial openings in said flange, a common supporting member in side-by-side relatively fixed relation to said wheel and having a wall in spaced parallel relation to the axes of said radial openings, a circular series of longitudinal openings in said wall concentric with and inside the plane of the flange on said wheel, individual supporting members for each said feeding pins including a Wire having one end received in a respective longitudinal opening in said wall and projecting longitudinally substantially into the plane of said feeding pins, each said wires further having an outwardly curved body portion and an outer or opposite end connected to a respective one of said feeding pins, the several wires extending in spiral overlapping formation in their body portions and being resilient whereby to impart a yielding axial thrust to the feeding pins in a radially outward direction.

. 16. A pin type feeding device according to claim 15, characterized in that said common supporting member is adjustable in a rotative sense relatively to said wheel whereby to retract and to extend said feeding pins with respect to the flange of said wheel.

ALBERT W. METZNER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 45,359 Sutter Dec. 6, 1864 598,654 Cleland Feb. 8, 1893 2,487,870 Harrison Nov. 15, 1949 

